Over the Hedge: Family and Feelings
by krp101
Summary: RJ is having trouble with his feelings. He's beginning to realize that he loves Heather, but he has another problem that seems to bother him more. Enjoy my 1st OTH fic!
1. Lost Feelings

Hey ya'll! It's krp101! For those of you that don't know who I am, I primarily write for the 'Bolt' stories page, but the original reason behind joining FanFiction was to write for 'Over The Hedge'. Now that I have the chance, it's time to unleash my first OTH story (and hopefully, it won't be my last.)

A/N: I do not own Over The Hedge or any of its characters. All characters are the property of DreamWorks and its subsidiaries.

**Lost Feelings**

RJ, the raccoon, was waking up as the sun began to rise and shine between the trees. He rubbed his eyes as he looked around to find himself at the opening of the log, and got up to greet the day.

"Hey, look who's up!" Verne, the turtle, said.

"Yeah." RJ said still half asleep. Verne silently chuckled at the sight before walking to stash for breakfast, with RJ following him, feeling hungry himself. Within another 10 minutes, everyone else was up and walking. It had been about 4 months since the family had defeated the Verminator and had Vincent sent to the Rockies, and the family quickly took an even better liking to RJ than before; now that they could fully trust him. Even Verne enjoyed having RJ around, and at times, more than everyone else. Since their final ordeal between the bear, exterminator, and each other, the family took a liking to raiding from humans after finding a sense of enjoyment out of fooling creatures that were supposed to be smarter than they were.

"Do you have the raid plans for the house down the street done yet?" Verne asked RJ as they munched their breakfast.

"Almost. I just need to find another way in, because the back door has a deadbolt and no doggy door." RJ explained

"And the front door?" Verne asked again.

"Same design." RJ said blatantly.

"Ugh… humans are getting smarter." Verne said getting a little irritated.

"Yeah, no kidding." RJ said

"Hey, what about the garage?" Ozzie, the male opossum, asked.

"What about it?" RJ asked wondering what he meant.

"Well, the back door doesn't have a doggy door, but the door INSIDE the garage does. If we can sneak into the garage after the family leaves, we can raid the house and unlock the back door from the inside to get back to the hedge." Ozzie explained in more detail. RJ looked at Verne, dumbfounded. Why he hadn't come up with that will forever remain a mystery, but he didn't have to worry about it, because Ozzie already did.

"Ozzie… You are a genius!" RJ said with his mouth full of food. The family couldn't help but laugh at the raccoon's facial expressions as he heard the plans, especially Ozzie and Heather, who is Ozzie's daughter. RJ and Heather had become practically inseparable since 'the ordeal'; having been the fastest runners out of all of the animals, except for their little squirrel friend, Hammy, which made them excellent decoys. They also made it a habit to watch a movie every night together before bed, just to spend time together. Inside, it was pretty easy for Heather to develop feelings for RJ. At first, she saw him as a big brother figure, but as time went on, she realized just how much she cared for him. He was cute, funny, brave, and extremely sweet. But above all, he put everyone else before himself. The same couldn't be said four months prior, but he quickly became protective of everyone in the family.

"So, I guess that settles that." RJ said as he crossed off the last check mark on the sheet of paper he had next to him.

"Great. Well, since we don't have much else going on today, who's up for a walk?" Lou the father porcupine suggested.

"Me." The entire family, except for RJ, shouted in unison.

"I'm gonna pass. I got hardly any sleep last night, and I'm gonna try to get it back." RJ said to the group, lying about why he really didn't want to go.

"Alright, well suit yourself, RJ." Verne said getting up. It wasn't long before the family was ready to head out.

"You sure you don't wanna come along, RJ?" Stella the skunk asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You guys have fun!" RJ said seeing his family off. As soon as the family was out of sight, his mood instantly changed from happiness to depression. As much as he loved his family, he felt distant from them. It wasn't that he missed his old life as a drifter; it was that he felt something he hadn't felt in years: a longing for parents. Having no memory of his REAL parents only made him more depressed, and he didn't want his feelings getting out, because of the role model he had become to the family. He admitted that he was afraid to ask for help, and maybe that's what made conning people so much easier for him than being honest with them.

"Why is this bugging me so much?" RJ asked himself silently. He felt as though he was getting soft, and as if this wasn't a normal reaction. He was 22 years old, and had no real memories of his past that he could be proud of, and it bothered him. Verne, Lou, and Tiger felt like father figures to him at times, but didn't fit as much as he wanted them to. The person that seemed to be the biggest influence in his life was Ozzie. The opossum was already protective of Heather, even if she didn't enjoy it, and there were even a few times during raids when the family would be cornered of hiding from a human, and Ozzie would slowly scoot in front of RJ to keep him safe. The raccoon slouched even lower than before as he thought about why he felt this way. _I don't get it. Do I see Ozzie as my father? I can't imagine what he would think if I told him this. He'd probably think I was crazy for feeling like this. _RJ thought as he sat against the inside of the log. This wasn't a new issue for him either; he'd been feeling it for weeks, and was hoping that it would go away eventually.

"I'm losing my mind." RJ said as he buried his face in his hands in frustration.

"I wouldn't say that." said a voice from the entrance of the log. RJ jumped up and looked at the figure standing at the end of the stump. He let out a sigh of relief, thankful to see Stella instead of Ozzie.

"I thought you were on the walk with the family." RJ said trying to avoid the subject at hand.

"I told Tiger that my feet were killing me, so I was gonna go back and rest." Stella explained to RJ, who knew the real reason she came back to the log.

"That's not really why you're here, is it?" RJ asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Not exactly."

"How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough… Come on, tough guy! You're not crazy."

"If only I could agree with you." RJ said feeling defeated. Stella walked in and sat down in front of RJ to talk with him face to face.

"Do you really see Ozzie as a dad?"

"Well… yeah. He cares about Heather more than she realizes, and he's practically implied that he'd take a bullet for me."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, but… I feel like he should take a bullet for ANYONE else in this family before me. I'm nothing special."

"I wouldn't tell him that. He wouldn't do all those things for you if he didn't…"

"If he didn't what?"

"…if he didn't already see you as family." Stella finished. RJ looked at Stella for another few seconds before sighing as he looked back down at the ground. Stella moved closer to the broken-hearted raccoon and pulled him into a hug, which he eventually returned. RJ enjoyed having someone to talk to, even if the subject was something as sensitive for him as Ozzie being a father figure to him.

"There's something else that's been kinda on my mind lately." RJ said

"Let me guess… Heather?" Stella said filling in the gap. RJ's eyes widened a little in surprise, having not expecting her to know what he was thinking.

"How did you…" RJ began to ask before she cut him off.

"Dude, you act just like Tiger did the first night we met. You're fallin' pretty hard for her."

"Am I really that careless about keeping my emotions in check?"

"No. I just notice it more than the average animal."

"Please don't tell her about this. I don't want Ozzie getting upset because of this." RJ said pleasing with Stella to keep it between the two of them.

"I won't. I'm not that cruel. However, I don't think Ozzie would be that worried. He's taken into account just how much time the two of you have been spending together lately."

"Great. Now I can't tell EITHER of them how I feel." RJ said feeling even more frustrated than before.

"Oh God. Don't make me stink you!" Stella said getting just as agitated, to which RJ just laughed at. She could understand that RJ was worried about their reactions, but she felt like he was losing his 'tough guy' personality, and the family needed his leadership.

"Don't go too soft on us, ringtail! We need that confident side of you for that raid in two days." Stella informed him.

"You won't lose that side of me, Stella. I need it too badly." RJ said jokingly, and Stella just snickered as she got up and headed for the exit of the log.

"Hey!" RJ called out to her before he went out of his view.

"Yeah." Stella said turning around.

"Thanks." RJ said smiling. The skunk nodded and smiled back before turning back around and walking to the lake. RJ stayed in the log for a little while longer before getting up to go watch TV at their crib area. He knew he couldn't avoid the topic of Ozzie OR Heather forever, but he didn't need to tell them now, which made him feel a little better as he flipped through the channels looking for something good.

**End of Chapter**

Well, what do you guys think? I'm not sure how well this is gonna turn out, but I'll give it my best. Be sure and send in those reviews. Tell me what you like, what you don't like, what needs improvement, and anything else you can think of. I welcome them ALL!

Peace out, playa!


	2. In A Daze

Welcome to Chapter 2 my friends. It's nice to see that I've hooked a couple of readers already so early in this story, and hopefully I can gain a few more along the way. In the first chapter, we saw RJ confront his emotions with Stella there to just listen. Now that the feelings are out, will RJ be able to keep his cool? Read and find out!

A/N: I do not own Over the Hedge or any of its characters. All characters are the property of DreamWorks and its subsidiaries.

**In A Daze**

It was the night before the heist, and Heather was walking over to the lounge area to join RJ for their movie. She was doing her best to hide her own emotions, just because of her feelings for RJ, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to be around him without blushing. As she walked towards the TV, she noticed RJ setting the popcorn and soda next to the chairs.

"Hey, RJ." Heather said as she walked into view.

"Oh hey! You scared me." RJ said laughing a little.

"Sorry. It looks like you've been busy." Heather said noticing the food and speakers hooked up.

"Yeah, a little."

"What movie did you grab?"

"Oh, Walking Tall!"

"Sweet. I could use some good action."

"It was either that or National Treasure."

"Eh, they're both good, but The Rock is really hot." Heather said giggling.

"Maybe I SHOULD have grabbed National Treasure." RJ said laughing as well.

"Oh, shut up!" Heather said jumping into her seat as RJ stared the movie. She watched him looking for the right button on the remote, and couldn't help but notice that he seemed a little tense. His fingers were jittering and he let out a silent gulp every once and a while.

"Hey RJ, are you okay?" Heather asked

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. The sugar rush is kicking in." RJ lied, figuring she had noticed his uneasiness. RJ hopped into his seat as the first preview started to play. Heather grabbed her soda from the cup holder and took a sip, not taking her eyes off of the screen. As the movie started, they both reached for the popcorn at the same time, accidently grabbing one another's hands. As soon as they felt each other's soft grip, their eyes widened and looked at each other for a split second and pulled away instantly. Their hearts raced with action music from the movie, and they both began to sweat a little as thoughts continued to crowd their minds.

'_Whoa, that was awkward. I really hope he didn't notice too much.' _Heather thought as they continued to watch the movie.

'_Whoa, that was close. She's already seen my uneasiness tonight, so I really need to chill out.' _RJ thought as the movie kept on playing. After about an hour of silence between the two of them, the romance scene between The Rock and his girl started. Both RJ and Heather looked at each other nervously and tried their best to pretend that they didn't find the scene intriguing.

"You know, they could've completely gotten rid of this part of the movie, and the movie would be just fine." RJ said trying to make conversation.

"Oh yeah, no kidding. If anything, it would be better without it." Heather agreed shyly.

"Yeah, totally!" RJ said trying to hide his tension as he sighed deeply. Heather began to take deep, but silent, breaths trying to shake herself out of her daze. She reached down for the popcorn once more, trying to get back into the movie, and was met with RJ's hand reaching down for the same thing. The two animals looked at each other for about a second and a half before laughing a little, figuring that it the other saw it as more ironic that romantic.

"Uh… sorry." RJ apologized bashfully.

"Oh, it's okay." Heather said breathily. She looked back over at her hand, which was still in the popcorn bowl, and smiled before speaking softly. Had she thought about what she was about to say, she would have just kept her mouth shut.

"If you want to, you can." she said, implying that RJ had her permission to hold her hand. '_Did I seriously just say that? And now, I can't take it back. What do I do? Isn't this what I want? But it was just an accident; he didn't mean to grab my hand. What if he doesn't like me, and doesn't want to be with me? I don't want to lose him as my friend if he doesn't.' _Heather thought as her mind raced a mile a minute. RJ looked over at her; his mouth opened a little as if he was trying to say something. He slowly opened and closed his hand in a fist in nervousness, and slowly moved his hand over to the popcorn and gently gripped her hand. As soon as their hands made contact, their heart rates slowed, like it was meant to be. They looked at each other and smiled a little before very slowly inching their heads closer to one another. The raccoon and possum both closed their eyes, waiting for their lips to meet in a kiss. Just before the big moment, the movie started blaring gunshots left and right, causing RJ to jump back about 3 inches before they opened their eyes and looked at the TV. Heather sighed a little before leaning back in her chair, losing her smile and her confidence.

"Um… I think I'm gonna go to bed a little early tonight. I'm startin' to feel really tired. Goodnight, RJ." Heather said as she jumped down from her seat and walked back to the log. RJ turned around and looked at her as she walked away.

"Goodnight, Heather." RJ said to himself before turning back around in his seat and slouching in it. '_I can't believe it. I was so close, and now I may never get another chance. STUPID MOVIE!' _RJ thought, kicking himself for what happened. The raccoon shut off the movie, feeling too frustrated to finish it and curled up in his car seat, too depressed to get up and walk to the log. RJ sighed, feeling like a piece of him died along with all of the actors in the movie; his stomach churning. He wanted to be with Heather so badly, but after what just happened, he figured that he had lost that chance. His mind also drifted towards Ozzie, and how he would feel when he found about this. The last thing he wanted was to lose Heather, but he couldn't bear the thought of losing her AND Ozzie, because he still saw him as the father figure he so desperately wanted him to be.

**(Heather at the log)**

The 19-year-old opossum was walking back to the log after nearly kissing RJ back at the lounge area. She felt like she should've stayed, and not run off like she did. However, she knew she needed some space and time to recap everything that had just happened. _I don't get it! I know I want to be with him, but it wouldn't have been a real kiss anyway. Maybe he just got caught up in the moment and the movie and didn't realize that he was about to kiss me. WHY DID THE TV HAVE TO START FIRING OFF ROUNDS LIKE THAT? Now, I probably ruined my chance to be with him, because he's probably figured it out by now. _Heather thought as she made way back into the log.

"I can't believe I walked away like that." Heather said to herself.

"Like what?" said a voice near her side of the log, which made her jump some. She saw Tiger looking at her, worried.

"Oh, it's nothing, Tiger." Heather said trying to hide her pain. Tiger slowly got up, careful not to disturb Stella from her sleep and walked over to the teenage possum.

"Now, I know when someone is upset, princess. You look like you're ready to cry." Tiger said knowing something was wrong. Heather looked in the Persian's eyes, and felt hers begin to water, proving his statement true. As the first of them began to fall, Tiger moved closer so that he could hold her, as she fell into his shoulder and cried silently.

"What happened, my dear?" Tiger asked concerned. Heather pulled her head out of his shoulder and wiped away the tears before she started talking.

"I was watching a movie with RJ like I do every night, and a romance scene came on. Well… I love RJ, and we were about ready to kiss when gunshots started coming from the movie, and I just ran off… but he probably doesn't like me anyway."

"Why would say that, princess? You said he was about to kiss you."

"I know, but he got caught up in the romance scene, just like I did. That's how I know."

"Oh, now sweetheart, I don't think I would give up so easily. I would just give it some time." Tiger explained, thinking that they just needed some space. Heather smiles, thankful that he was still awake to comfort her, because she definitely needed it. She moved closer and smiled as she hugged him.

"Thanks Tiger!"

"You're welcome, my dear."

"How do you know so much about love?"

"Oh I've been around humans most of my life. They show love the same way we do."

"Really?"

"Indeed! We aren't so different from them after all." Tiger said nudging her side, causing her to giggle a little.

"Goodnight, sweetheart!" Tiger said before going back to sleep with Stella.

"Goodnight, Tiger." Heather said before climbing to the dangling branch and hanging her tail around it, right next to her father. _Maybe he's right! Maybe I just need to give it some time. The feelings are still there for me, and they might be there for him too. I just hope he isn't upset at me for running away from him like that. _Heather thought before succumbing to her exhaustion and falling asleep.

**End of Chapter**

Well, that's the 2nd chapter down, and tomorrow is the heist! Hopefully, the events from the night before between RJ and Heather won't affect it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Peace out, playa!


	3. Grand Theft Heart

It's time to pick back up where we left off. I haven't updates in a while, but that's because I was in Maryland for the last few days attending my grandfather's funeral. As much as I miss him, I have you guys that stay on the edges of your desk chairs waiting for chapter 3, and I love what I do. Enjoy!

A/N: I do not own Over the Hedge or any of its characters. All characters are the property of DreamWorks and its subsidiaries.

**Grand Theft Heart**

The morning of the heist had come, and everyone was ready to begin. Except for… RJ and Heather. The night before was still clouding their minds and causing both of them to fall behind in preparations. Heather never mentioned what happened to her father, figuring it would just be best to wait until the heist was over. The last thing Ozzie or anyone else in the group, needed was to worry.

"OK; why did you plan the heist a day late?" Verne asked

"Because today's garbage day." RJ said simply. Verne looked at RJ, confused for a moment before asking what was so important that they wait an extra day.

"So?"

"So, we can hide in the can after the garbage guys come to pick it up, and after that, she'll bring the cans into the garage, shut the door after she leaves, and we can get to work." RJ explained. Verne looked back at RJ somewhat surprised that he thought ahead so well.

"Oh, don't look at me like that!" RJ said smirking a little.

"Well… I didn't think…"

"Yeah, I know. I had a little extra time." RJ said without thinking. The rest of the family looked at him, wondering what he was talking about.

"What do you mean?" Hammy asked

"Oh, well… I just mean that I stayed up later than usual one night and uh… had a little epiphany."

"Oh. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this party started." Stella said getting excited, causing the rest of the family to get just as excited. RJ grabbed his bag and the rest of the family got into positions.

"Alright, now remember guys: Lou, Penny, and Stella will wait at the back door for us with the wagon. The hedge is right behind the yard, so it will be a quick escape. Ozzie, Tiger, Verne, Heather and I will wait for the garbage can to be emptied and we'll jump in. Bucky, Quillo, and Spike; you guys will knock on the garage three times if she starts coming back."

"You got it, Uncle RJ!" Quillo said

"Great. See you guys on the other side." RJ said before looking at Heather one last time. The raccoon and possum stared at each other, feeling disappointed that they left things the way they did the night before. RJ slowly walked to the side of the garage with her, not saying anything, but wishing they could. Just before RJ tried talking, the garbage truck pulled up and grabbed the can, pulling it up and dumping the contents into the compactor. Seconds later, the truck drove away, leaving the animals with a short window of time to jump inside and wait. All five of them rant to the can and helped one another inside with RJ waiting on top to close the can before jumping in himself.

"Whoa. This is a tight fit." Verne complained

"Well, it's not supposed to be comfortable. As long as we can make it in the garage, we're doin' well." RJ said. Heather was right next to Ozzie, who was pressed against the side of the can. He had no idea what happened between RJ and his daughter during the prior night, but he DID notice that Heather wasn't totally focused on the heist.

"Heather, are you okay?" Ozzie asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm just getting a little claustrophobic." Heather said, with RJ looking at her, knowing the real reason behind her uneasiness.

"Yeah, I kinda know the feelin'." Ozzie said looking down at his stance, which Heather noticed and saw that he had very little, if any room to move.

"I can scoot over a little." Heather said trying to move what little space she could.

"No, it's fine, sweetheart." Ozzie said looking down at her. Tiger was standing behind Verne, looking at the teenage possum and hoped that she and RJ would be able to work things out. Without warning, the can was lifted into thin air, and was being carried into the garage; just like RJ had planned. The woman set it down hard, and walked to her car to start it.

"Those garbage cans are getting heavier and heavier every year they make them." The woman said, not knowing that the animals inside were the reason behind the extra weight. Within about 15 seconds, the car was placed in reverse, and backed out leaving the garage door open for another moment.

"Alright, let's go." Verne said trying to get up, but was stopped by RJ.

"Wait." RJ said, waiting for the sound he knew was their cue. The door to the garage started its descent and hit the concrete soon after.

"Okay, now!" RJ said and lifted the lid off of the trash can, and having it fall to the floor. The family piled out and walked to the pet door, heading for the kitchen.

"Nice!" Verne said

"No kidding. I'll get the others." RJ said running to the back door to let Lou, Penny, and Stella in.

"It's about time, ringtail." Stella said pushing the wagon from behind.

"Oh, bite me!" RJ said sarcastically. As soon as the wagon was set in the kitchen, each person got to work clearing the cupboards, refrigerator, and pantry. The heist took no more than 20 minutes and they were already pulling the wagon to the back door, when the front door flew open. Standing in the entrance was Dwayne: The Verminator.

"No way!" RJ said looking at Dwayne with his mouth to the floor.

"Gotcha!" Dwayne said running for the foragers, net and snare in hand. The family scattered in every direction they could, doing their best to confuse the deadbeat exterminator.

"Verne, get the wagon and everyone you can back to the hedge. I'll distract him." RJ said running at the Verminator, and leading up the stairs.

"RJ!" Verne called out but received no answer.

"C'mon, Verne. You heard what he said. He'll make it out. He always does." Penny said as she and the rest of the group grabbed hold of the wagon handle and started pulling. Verne reluctantly turned around to help them back to the hedge. Upstairs, RJ was scampering with all of his might up to the second floor. He darted around a sharp corner, and continued running down the hallway. Instantly, he was pulled into the hall bathroom and fell to the floor as the door shut. RJ looked up to see who it was that pulled him to safety, and was shocked to see a familiar face.

"Ozzie." RJ said silently. The possum ran to RJ's aid, making sure he wasn't hurt.

"Are you alright?" Ozzie asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." RJ said before hearing Dwayne walking down the hallway, trying to find him.

"Come out, come out!" Dwayne taunted. The only thing bigger than HIM was his ego, and RJ didn't take too kindly to his shallow attitude. As much as he wanted to beat the living crap out of the Verminator, he knew that he didn't have that power.

"We need to get out of here." Ozzie said as he looked underneath the door, seeing no sign on Dwayne. He looked over at RJ, who nodded, letting him know that he could open the door and they might be able to make a break for it. The door opened inch by inch with Ozzie making sure he didn't see Dwayne, and finally, he and RJ made their getaway. They ran down the stairs as fast as their legs could carry them, and made it to the kitchen, where they saw the back door wide open.

"Sweet!" RJ said as he and Ozzie ran for the door. Just as they hit the welcome mat, they were engulfed in a net, and fell to the top step of the patio. Out of nowhere, Dwayne emerged from his hiding place with a big smile on his face, and grabbed the net; RJ and Ozzie still trapped inside.

"Two pests with one net. It's a good day to be the Verminator." Dwayne said mockingly, praising himself for the catch. He walked out the back door and straight for his truck, where he pulled out a cage, and placed the two animals through the hole. From the cage, they both could see the neighbors standing at the curb.

"Thank you, sir." said the man.

"It's what I do! You guys never thought about the neighbors now did you?" Dwayne asked the animals, mocking their feeble-mindedness.

"You've just been Verminated!" Dwayne said one last time before throwing the cage in the back of his truck and slamming the door. RJ started panting heavily, mostly due to shock and fear. Ozzie was quick to notice the nervous state that the raccoon was in, crawled over to him and pulled him into a comforting hug.

"It's okay. We're gonna get outta here." Ozzie said still holding on to RJ.

"I hope you've got a plan, because I don't." RJ said looking up at Ozzie and still shaking a little. The possum let go and walked over to the lock.

"These claws serve a few handy purposes." Ozzie said showing his extended claws to RJ and smiling. RJ got up and watched closely as Ozzie placed his middle claw inside the padlock and started loosening the tumblers.

"Have you just been waiting to try those out?" RJ asked as Ozzie smiled and worked his magic. It took some time, but eventually the lock had been picked and the two 'pests' made their way to the back of the van and tried opening it. Suddenly, the van came to a harsh stop and knocked RJ and Ozzie back against the cage. When Ozzie regained his footing, he reached over to RJ to see if he was okay, only to find that he had been knocked out by the blow to the cage.

"RJ, RJ. Wake up." Ozzie said trying to wake the raccoon, but had no luck. Acting on adrenaline, Ozzie grabbed RJ and placed him over his shoulders, and opened the door to the van and prepared to jump to the street below.

"Hey!" Dwayne said as he looked behind him, and stopped the van in the middle of a 4-way stop. Ozzie jumped out of the van and ran to a nearby shrub with RJ still balanced on his back.

"You guys are dead. I am gonna…" Dwayne began talking before an oncoming car took him out. As he lay in the street, Ozzie was watching every second from the bush, cringing at the sight. His stomach churned at the position Dwayne was in as he lay motionless on the pavement. Not wanting to avoid detection, Ozzie regained his stance with RJ still out cold and ran for the hedge.

**End of Chapter**

Yikes! Looks like Dwayne won't be too much of a problem anymore. Now Ozzie has to find his way back to the log. Hopefully RJ wakes up soon, because Ozzie might not be able to carry him the whole way. I'll see you guys soon with another update.

Peace out, playa!


	4. The Dreaded Talk

It's time to pick up where we left off, and that would be Ozzie and RJ. After leaving the bush, Ozzie carried RJ as far as he could before resting. And then…

A/N: I do not own Over the Hedge or any of its characters. All characters are the property of DreamWorks and its subsidiaries.

**The Dreaded Talk**

_Whoa! That was one crazy dream. It seemed like Ozzie and I had been kidnapped by the Verminator during one of our heists. I really need to stop drinking so many __Mach 6__'s before I go to bed. Wait a minute… I feel like I'm lying in a bush. Why am I…?" _RJ said to himself dreaming as he woke up to find his last statement true as night; because it WAS night. He was, in fact, lying in a bush and with a stiff pounding in his head.

"Ugh… ow!" RJ said with a gravelly tone to his voice. As he reached behind his head, he felt a decent-sized bump sticking out, and it seemed to sting even with the slightest touch.

"Ah… what happened to me?" RJ asked himself

"A steel cage. That's what." Ozzie said climbing through the bush.

"Ozzie. Wh…what happened? Seriously?" RJ asked trying to focus his vision.

"I'll only tell you if you just… don't move for a while. You may have a concussion, and you shouldn't move too much." Ozzie said pleading with RJ a little. The raccoon closed his eyes and leaned back against the bush some to rest, much to Ozzie's pleasure.

"You got knocked out." Ozzie began

"Tell me somethin' I don't know." RJ said sarcastically. Ozzie couldn't help but chuckle a little. He was happy to see that RJ still had his sense of humor amidst a potentially bad situation.

"I tried waking you up, but I had no luck. So I threw you over my shoulders and jumped out of the van. As soon as that pompous moron saw me, he stopped the van right in the middle of traffic and chased after us." Ozzie continued

"Well, he obviously didn't catch us." RJ commented

"Yeah, thanks to that oncoming car that took him out." Ozzie said laughing. RJ's eyes shot open as he heard those words escape Ozzie's lips.

"What?" RJ asked as he leaned forward; his heart rate increasing.

"Easy, RJ. Easy. I don't think we'll be dealing with him much anymore." Ozzie said trying to calm RJ down, which he did with a little time. The ringtail looked at the possum and began feeling guilty about the two of them getting caught.

"You saved my life, Ozzie." RJ said

"Hey. I'd do it for any of the family." Ozzie said softly. The possum seemed to notice that RJ didn't seemed too pleased with the kind gesture.

"What's wrong?" Ozzie asked

"If I had planned the heist on the original day, we might not have almost died today." RJ said blaming himself for his poor judgment.

"RJ, no one could have predicted the day to happen like this. You're right; we might have been able to avoid this if we'd followed the plan, but things could've been a lot worse too. The Verminator could've caught us all, or the family could've been home. The important thing is that no one was killed. You got the family out, and they're safe because of you." Ozzie said praising RJ for the decisions he made.

"I would never have been able to forgive myself if you had gotten hurt… Ozzie, you mean more to me than you think." RJ said. Ozzie looked at the raccoon, wondering what he missed.

"What do you mean?" Ozzie asked. RJ didn't want to hide the truth anymore. Inside, it was killing him to keep his feelings a secret.

"Ever since I came to you guys, each of you has made such a huge impact on my life. Hammy's like the brother I never had, Stella is like the mother I wish I had gotten and you…" RJ stopped for a moment, wondering if he was making the right choice to tell Ozzie about what was so heavy in his heart.

"You're the father I always wanted." RJ said finally; a few tears coming to his eyes. Ozzie gasped a little and his eyes widened in surprised.

"You see me as a father?" Ozzie asked

"I see how much you love Heather, even if SHE doesn't all the time. I've seen times other than right now when you'd put your own self in harm's way to protect me, and I feel sick to my stomach because I don't know why I suddenly have these feelings." RJ explained, not looking at Ozzie once the entire time, who was still wondering why he never told him. Ozzie then scooted closer to RJ, who still had his face to the ground, almost in shame, and put his arm around the raccoon's shoulder and pulled him closer. As soon as it happened, RJ tried his best to look away as more tears came from his eyes as he closed them as tight as he could.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Ozzie asked

"I guess I felt ashamed." RJ said

"For wanting a father? RJ, you lived your entire life without knowing your parents. Your feelings are natural; it's nothing to be ashamed of." Ozzie said comforting the young raccoon.

"Oz, I've never been good at asking for help." RJ said still in a slump. At one point, he was hoping that he was hallucinating from the blow to his head, and that Ozzie wasn't really there, but he knew it was a long shot. Ozzie saw the pain in RJ's eyes and felt like he was going to shed a few tears himself just seeing the raccoon at such a hopeless state.

"Well, you can turn that around… son." Ozzie said smiling. RJ lifted his head slowly wondering if he'd heard the possum correctly, and saw Ozzie smiling back at him.

"Son?" RJ asked

"If you still want to be." Ozzie said as he continued to look down at RJ, who by now had turned his head away to hide the tears that were beginning to fall. Seeing this, Ozzie grabbed RJ's back gently, and pulled him towards the front of his body in a hug, letting RJ cry silently. It was something that the young raccoon had waited too long for, and now that he felt it, he didn't want to give it up. RJ then pulled his head up and looked at Ozzie, who began drying RJ's eyes as best he could.

"You need to get some rest. We'll make our way back to the log tomorrow morning." Ozzie said instructing RJ to get some sleep.

"Alright." RJ said leaning back into the bush once again; however, before he closed his eyes, he saw Ozzie crawling back out of the bush.

"Where are YOU going?" RJ asked

"You'll see later. Just try to get some sleep… you need it, kid." Ozzie said smiling before walking down the row of bushes and drifting out of RJ's sight. The ringtail lay back down slowly, wondering what Ozzie was up to, but decided to leave it for tomorrow when he could focus better, and his head wasn't pounding.

"Wait… he called me his kid." RJ said whispering to himself, and smiled as he closed his eyes, thinking about how long he'd been waiting to hear those words.

**(The Hedge)**

Everyone else was back at the log trying to figure out what they were going to do to save RJ and Ozzie, save for Heather who was trying to control a panic attack down at the lake. Verne and Lou tried their best to calm her down, but thought it better if she had some time to herself where she could breathe and cry alone. After about 20 minutes, the family still hadn't come up with a decent solution, and each member of the group was starting to lose hope. They knew that RJ had gotten himself out of situations like this before, but this time, Ozzie was with him, which probably made things just a little more difficult. After another hour, Heather still hadn't come back from the lake, and Verne's anxiety only increased.

"You know, I'm gonna go make sure Heather is okay." Verne said about to leave the log.

"No, wait. I'll go." Tiger said stopping the turtle.

"Are you sure?" Verne asked

"Yes. I'll be back as soon as I find her." Tiger said leaving the log, not even waiting for Verne to give him the OK. Stella looked at Tiger, and wondered what he was up to. As the family went back to thinking, the skunk slipped out to catch up to her Persian mate.

"Hey, wait up, big fella." Stella said walking up to Tiger, who by now had turned around to see who was following him.

"What's goin' on?" Stella asked curiously. Tiger sighed before giving her his reason for stepping in to search for Heather.

"Heather and I had a talk the other night. I think it would mean more if I went instead of Verne… she's afraid of losing Ozzie, yes; however, she's just as afraid of losing RJ." Tiger explained.

"Why would she worry so much about losing RJ?" Stella asked. Tiger gave her a look that said 'There's something more going on between the two of them.' which instantly put all of the puzzle pieces in Stella's mind together.

"Oh!" Stella said silently.

"Exactly. I'll find her." Tiger assured

"Okay. You go do what you gotta do."

"I will be back soon, my love." Tiger said in his thick accent before turning around and heading for the lake. He knew Heather was in pain, but he needed to make sure that he was okay. After about 10 minutes of walking, he made it to the lake to find Heather sitting at the edge of a rock, looking at the moon moonlit-shimmering lake.

"I can feel you staring." Heather said knowing someone was watching her, but didn't bother to turn around. Tiger chuckled to himself before walking up to her side.

"Are you looking for something, sweetheart?" Tiger asked as he too looked at the lake.

"Just looking!" Heather said as she continued to gaze at the water as the reflection seemed to light up the trees around them.

"RJ would love to see this." Heather said softly. Tiger looked at the teenage possum, knowing very well what was on her mind. He placed his left paw on her shoulder and massaged it back and forth, hoping it would relieve some of the stress she had built up in the last few hours.

"We will find them, princess. Both of them." Tiger said in the same hushed tone, and waited for Heather to say something in return. Instead, however, he was met with a gentle, yet firm hug for her. He could hear her faint sobbing, and felt sympathy for the young possum.

"Would you like to come back to the log?" Tiger asked

"Maybe… a little later. For now, I'm just gonna have some peace and quiet."

"I understand." Tiger said before turning back around and walking back to the rest of the family at the log. As Heather looked back at the lake, the tears began to stop, and a warm feeling of confidence seemed to wash over her. She smiled as she looked up at the sky to see more stars than she had ever seen before in her entire life blanketing the dark atmosphere. Her feelings of dread seemed to lessen with night continuing to roll by, and she couldn't explain why. It was as if a new feeling of faith had taken their place.

"They're still alive. I can feel it." Heather said to herself with her eyes still glued to the sky above.

**End of Chapter**

Well, guys… Chapter 4 is done! I'm really enjoying writing this story, and I hope all of my readers are as well. Thanks for your support with the reviews. It's nice to see that my work has your approval.

Peace out, playa!


	5. Jitters

It's that time. Time to get back in the swing of things. It's been a bit of a ride for RJ and Ozzie, but the morning has arrived, and that means that they're about to leave for the log. Trust me, this will not end like you guys are picturing; there will be drama… a lot of drama.

A/N: I do not own Over the Hedge or any of its characters. All characters are the property of DreamWorks and its subsidiaries.

**Jitters**

RJ slowly opened his eyes to see the sun peeking through the loose branches of the bush he was sleeping in. His head still ached in pain, but it was less than the night before. As he looked around, he spotted Ozzie hanging by his tail in the tree planted right next to the bush. After leaning forward slightly, he climbed out from the hole and jumped to the soft grass below, and noticed Ozzie beginning to wake up as well.

"Morning Oz." RJ said walking up to the tree.

"Morning kid." Ozzie said with a smile. He knew how good RJ felt when he called him that, so he decided to make it a habit. Ozzie jumped to the ground and began walking up to his new son.

"How'd you sleep?" Ozzie asked

"Aside from the obvious throbbing, I slept like a rock." RJ responded sarcastically.

"Good." Ozzie said laughing.

"So should we make our way back to the log?" RJ asked

"Yeah, but first I wanna give you something." Ozzie asked with an almost sinister smile on his face.

"What?" RJ asked noticing the strange grin.

"Follow me." Ozzie instructed before turning around and walking down the path alongside the bush. RJ followed close behind at first before catching up to Ozzie and matching him step for step. After walking for about 2 minutes, the pair came across a back alleyway.

"What's back here?" RJ asked looking around.

"That." Ozzie responded pointing his finger at the back door, which showed a man pulling a large cart outside and towards a dumpster. RJ soon realized that the cart was full of leftover food from a breakfast buffet.

"Whoa." RJ said in shock, which Ozzie couldn't help but snicker at a little. Within less than a minute, the cart was emptied and the man made his way back inside the building, leaving RJ and Ozzie to run for the trash receptacle and dive in.

"I saw some other guy doing this last night when I was carrying you to bush, except it was a dinner buffet." Ozzie explained

"Wow, humans are so wasteful." RJ said blatantly.

"No kidding."

"Wait, is this where you went last night?" RJ asked

"Yeah. I debated bringing some of the dinner food back, but there were too many humans to deal with. Plus, I had no energy from hauling your butt 4 blocks." Ozzie said laughing as he ate happily. RJ smiled as he enjoyed breakfast with his new father. It seemed as though a hole in his heart had been filled; one that had been vacant for so long.

"You look like you got something on your mind." Ozzie said pointing out RJ's facial expressions.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just never thought I would get the chance to say that you're my father, and I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how good it feels." RJ explained. Ozzie smiled and placed his hand on RJ's shoulder as the two of them enjoyed their meal before climbing out of the giant metal dumpster.

"Alright, let get going." Ozzie said

"Okay." RJ said back, and the two bounded out of the dumpster and down to the asphalt below. After making their way back to the hedge, their 2-mile journey back to the log began. It seemed to go on and on for RJ, but that's just the way he wanted it to be; it was a chance just to be alone with Ozzie. They didn't even have to say anything; he was just happy to have Ozzie along as company; especially being his newfound parent, instead of just his friend. RJ knew that the walk would soon come to an end, and that meant telling the family about what happened, and making things right with Heather.

"Oz, I have a question for you, but I'm… not exactly sure how to put it." RJ said nervously. Ozzie turned his attention towards the young raccoon and noticed how troubled he seemed.

"What's wrong, RJ?" Ozzie asked

"Well… it's about Heather."

"What about her?"

"I…"

"**RJ!" **said a voice from down the hedge. RJ and Ozzie looked forward to see Hammy running up to both of them at lightning speed. At the point of impact, both RJ and Ozzie were knocked to the ground, still wrapped in Hammy's tight grip.

"Oh my God. We thought you guys were dead." Hammy said jumping to his feet, allowing the raccoon and opossum to get to theirs as well.

"No, we're alive. Thanks to him." RJ said giving Ozzie's side a nudge. Ozzie looked at RJ and smiled, happy to be accepting the compliment.

"So, what happened?" Hammy asked.

"We'll explain when we get back to the log." Ozzie said leading them back to their home. After about 2 minutes of running, they came across Verne and the rest of the family sitting outside the log. Stella was the first to look up and see three familiar faces sprinting straight for them, and her eyes widened with joy before they started to tear.

"Oh, Lord Have Mercy. Look who it is." Stella said before getting to her feet, and running to RJ to embrace him in a strong hug.

"Are you guys okay?" Stella asked still being held by RJ.

"Yeah, we're fine. Actually, we're more than fine." RJ said releasing his embrace. Stella looked at him, somewhat confused, causing RJ to whisper in her ear what happened the night before. Stella's look of shock came back as she smiled widely.

"Oh, congratulations."

"Thanks." RJ said taking the gesture. As he turned his head to the side, he saw Heather and Ozzie letting go of one another. Suddenly, her eyes met his, and the entire world seemed to stop spinning. His body felt like it was about to go limp; almost feeling paralyzed and not able to move at all. But the stiff feeling was short lived as he and Heather ran towards each other at 'Hammy' speed. RJ picked Heather up and spun her around as their lips locked in an incredibly passionate kiss with Verne losing track of how many times they had spun, almost getting dizzy from the sight. After what felt like hours, the two broke apart for air and continued to gaze into each other's bright blue eyes.

"I'm sorry about last night." Heather said lovingly.

"I am too." RJ said as he pulled her into a hug, letting her head rest is his chest. Ozzie continued to watch RJ hold his daughter in his arms, waiting for them to tell him the full story; however, he let them have their moment before he spoke.

"Um, when did this happen?" Ozzie asked curiously. RJ looked at Heather before looking back at Ozzie to explain.

"The other night, Heather and I were watching a movie like we do every night. Throughout the movie, we kept reaching for the popcorn and grabbing each other's hands, by accident, of course. At one point, we just kinda decided to hold hands for the rest of the movie until we…" RJ stopped himself, not knowing the best way to put that he was about to kiss Ozzie's daughter.

"Until you what?" Ozzie asked, hoping RJ would pick up where he stopped.

"Until we tried to kiss." Heather finished. Ozzie looked at RJ and almost seemed angry.

"Is this true?" Ozzie asked staring RJ down.

"Yes." RJ answered. The rest of the family stayed quiet for some time before each person started adding in their own feelings to the pot.

"You guys were gonna kiss?" Quillo asked

"Gross." Spike added

"Yeah, that sounds nasty." Bucky said. Lou and Penny both gave the triplets icy glares telling them to keep quiet.

"RJ, can I speak with please… in private?" Ozzie asked with some subtle aggravation in his voice. RJ slowly released the grip he had on Heather's hands and reluctantly followed Ozzie to the nearby bushes with the rest of the family watching from behind.

"Busted!" Spike whispered to Quillo, only to have Lou smack him upside the head.

"Ow." Spike said aloud, rubbing his head.

"Heather." Tiger said trying to get the young possum's attention. He knew she was listening, but she never turned around.

"I was afraid that this might happen." Heather said trying to hold back her thickening voice as she tried her best not to cry. Stella walked up to her as well and gently pulled her away from her spot and into her shoulder.

"It's okay, sweetheart." Stella said trying to comfort Heather as they walked back to the log slowly. Back in the bushes, RJ and Ozzie were sitting on a stump.

"You lied to me." Ozzie said breaking the silence.

"How did I lie to you?" RJ asked somewhat confused.

"'**I see you as a father figure. You mean more to me than you think.**' Yeah right!" Ozzie said throwing RJ's words from the prior night back in his face.

"I meant every word of that."

"Oh please. Do you really expect me to believe that? You made up that bogus story. You want to be with Heather, so you try to soften me up by telling me how much of a father I am to you. I'm not that stupid, RJ!" Ozzie said furiously.

"I DO see you as a father. Heather is the reason I kept that secret from you for so long."

"What are you talking about?"

"This is exactly the thing I was trying to avoid. You're right; I DO love Heather and I've wanted to be with her for so long, but I've wanted to be you kid for longer. I want to wake up and hear somebody say to me 'Good morning, son' or 'How did you sleep, kid?' My dad never did that for me, because I don't know where he is… or who he is. And I don't want it to be just anyone; I want it to be you." RJ paused before continuing. Ozzie seemed to be listening very intently.

"Heather gets to wake up every morning and hear those words. She's the luckiest girl in the world. The two of you are so close; you never go anywhere or do anything without each other, and after seeing that bond between you… I started having feelings for her. And they've only gotten stronger as time continues to go by."

Ozzie started looking away from RJ, like he had gone deep into thought. RJ felt his heart sink, seeing how much Ozzie seemed to hate his at the moment. He saw no use in trying to say anything else.

"But, I guess I'm gonna have to get over **both **of those feelings." RJ said before getting off of the stump and walking deeper into the woods. Ozzie watched his every move before completely disappearing from his view. The possum sat on the stump for another 20 minutes, only going deeper into thought before getting up slowly and walking back to the log even slower. He didn't need time to think, but the silence seemed to help his mood. It was a mix of fear, agitation, frustration, and most of all… guilt. He reached the edge of the bushes and watched each family member at different parts of the habitat. He saw Tiger and Stella talking to Heather, Hammy and Verne were talking, and Lou and Penny trying to wrangle their kids with little success. Ozzie couldn't help but crack a small smile at the last scene, but soon it changed to Heather. With all of the emotions crowding his brain, he settled on one emotion that meant he didn't have to decide how he felt about RJ and Heather… confusion.

**End of Chapter**

Well, I'm not sure if there's gonna be 1 or 2 more chapters. But, we'll just have to play it by year. Be sure to leave your reviews and comments for me. You guys know I love hearing from. Special thanks go out to Princess Shania and jacruz666 for being chapter-to-chapter reviewers. It's nice to see that this story has captured your attention.

Peace out, playa!


	6. Opening Up

Well, we're back with Chapter 6 of our little OTH story. It's been about four hours since RJ and Ozzie both went off to talk, and back at the log, Ozzie is finally returning after some much-needed solitude.

A/N: I do not own Over the Hedge or any of its characters. All characters are the property of DreamWorks and its subsidiaries.

**Opening Up**

Ozzie has made his way back to the log, and sees everyone inside enjoying dinner. As he walks inside, Verne looks up to find the opossum with no emotion of his face whatsoever. Ozzie says nothing as he sits down next to Stella and Tiger, picks up a bag of nacho cheese chips, and starts eating. Aside from the porcupine triplets, everyone's eyes are glued to him.

"Are you guys gonna say anything, or just stare at me?" Ozzie asks looking up.

"I'll say something later." Verne says before going back to eating. Ozzie looks at him, disgusted by his words.

"I'll say somethin' now, since no one else will." Stella says taking the floor.

"Oh, do tell." Ozzie says looking at her with aggravation in his voice.

"In private." Stella said walking out of the log, waiting for him to follow her. As she walks to a nearby tree, she turns around to find that Ozzie IS, in fact, right behind her, but still obviously upset.

"What is wrong with you?" Stella asked

"Absolutely nothing. I'm happy with what I said to RJ. Everything he ever told me was a lie." Ozzie said satisfied with his choice.

"Then you obviously haven't been paying any attention to him lately." Stella said before continuing.

"Notice how he's used almost all of the ideas for raiding houses that you've come up with. Like today, with the trash can. Or last week, when we were raiding that house on Pueblo Street. You told RJ to slingshot Hammy to the second floor window so he could open the back door. Plus, it's not just the ideas; you stand up for him when he makes a mistake, especially when Verne gets upset. There have been times I've seen Verne wanna kill that boy, but you always defend him, because you know he has good intentions… Admit it, Ozzie; you DO see him as a son." Stella explained

"I did." Ozzie said almost broken-hearted.

"And he wants to be your son… I promised him I wouldn't say about this, but I need to. The other day when we all went on a walk, but he stayed behind because he was tired; he wasn't really tired, he was stressed. I walked back and saw him with his face buried in his hands. He told me that he's seen you as a father figure for a long time. But… he also loves Heather. And that's what he was afraid of. Everything that he was trying his to avoid happened today." Stella explained once more. Ozzie slowly looked at the ground, wondering if he had misjudged RJ.

"And just so you know… Heather loves him too." Stella said. Ozzie cringed a little more; his guilt finally taking over.

"What have I done?" Ozzie asked himself in a hushed tone and shaking his head some.

You made a mistake. But you can fix it. We just need to find RJ first." Stella said. Ozzie looked up and over at Stella, wondering what she meant by finding RJ.

"What?" Ozzie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He never came back to the log. We were hoping he would be with you when you came back. When we didn't see him, Tiger started wondering if you'd killed him." Stella said sarcastically, but still worried. Ozzie chuckled a little, but started to get scared as soon as it subsided.

"I need to find him." Ozzie said running off into the woods, not even bothering to tell Stella where he would be looking. Stella ran back to the log to inform the others of what had just happened. Heather instantly perked up and ran outside to join her father in the search for RJ. It wasn't long before everyone else was up and out of the log, each person searching in a different part of the forest. Having the moon as their only source of light was going to be a bigger challenge than just searching for him in the daylight. Heather decided to take a different approach to looking for RJ, and worked her way towards the campground near Vincent's old cave. After sprinting across the highway, she made her way towards the campground, not getting far before seeing RJ lying in a tree by the nearby creek.

"RJ." Heather called out. RJ turned his head around to see who was calling for him, but turned too far and fell out of the tree, landing in the dirt below.

"RJ, Oh my God!" Heather said running up to RJ, who was trying to pick himself up off the ground.

"Ouch." RJ said groaning a little. Heather laughed seeing him trying to make a joke out of his apparent pain.

"Did you break anything?" Heather asked

"No, I'm good. But if you're dad sees us out here together, I might not be." RJ said blatantly.

"RJ, it's okay. My dad realized what happened. He and the rest of the family are looking for you right now. But I found you first." Heather said priding herself. RJ laughed seeing her so happy.

"So, he isn't mad?" RJ asked trying to make sure he heard her right.

"No. If you don't believe me, come with me and I'll prove it to you." Heather told him.

"Oh, I will, but first." RJ said before taking Heather by the hand, and pulling her in for a kiss. Heather's heart soared at the feeling of her lips and RJ's colliding. As they continued to kiss, Heather could feel RJ's tears running down his cheeks and flowing onto her own.

"RJ, what's wrong?" Heather asked breaking the kiss.

"Nothing, I'm just happy." RJ said continuing to cry. The pair held each other in a tight hug for about 20 seconds before walking back to the hedge, and finding Ozzie, Lou, Penny, and Hammy at the log.

"Ozzie." RJ shouted. Ozzie looked up to see RJ walking towards him, and instantly stood up to run to the young raccoon and embrace him in a hug. RJ just stood there and cried, not wanting to say anything. Ozzie's grip only got tighter as the moments went by. Eventually, Ozzie and RJ let go, and looked at each other.

"I'm so sorry, RJ."

"I know. It's okay."

"No, it's not. I should've known you wouldn't lie to me." Ozzie said pulling him back into his arms. Heather watched as her father and lover continued with their hold, happy to have everything where it was supposed to be. Stella, Tiger and Verne walked in from the bushes to see the same sight.

"How are you feelin', girl?" Stella asked walking up to Heather.

"I couldn't feel better." Heather said smiling.

"That's good to hear, my dear." Tiger said walking up next to her as well. Ozzie looked over at Heather and waved her forward to join them.

"Heather, you have yourself a wonderful mate." Ozzie said smiling.

"I know." Heather said talking RJ's hand. RJ smiled as he pulled her into a hug.

"I'm happy to have you as a son, RJ. However, I'm not ready to be a grandfather just yet. So, would you two mind waiting a couple of years before that happens?" Ozzie asked looking at both of them. RJ and Heather looked at each other for a moment before giving him an answer.

"Absolutely." RJ said happily.

"Sure. I'm not even sure if we CAN have kids, just being different species." Heather said looking at RJ.

"I guess we'll find out when the time comes." RJ said smiling, causing Heather to smile back at him.

"When do you turn 21?" RJ asked

"About two years from now. Next September, I think." Heather answered

"We'll make that our day." RJ said

"I like it." Heather said hugging RJ. Ozzie smiled as he watched his daughter plan out her life with RJ. Everyone was looking at them, all as happy as can be. RJ looked down at Heather, and slowly pulled her chin up towards his, where their lips met once again in a passionate kiss. Ozzie couldn't help but shed a few tears as he watched the sight before him.

"I love you Heather."

"I love you too, RJ."

**(The Next Day)**

RJ and Heather woke up right next to each other in the log, and smiled seeing each other's face. RJ's right arm was caressing her left arm, and watched the smile on her face grow.

"Good morning, beautiful." RJ said

"Good morning to you too." Heather said leaning towards him to kiss him. RJ got up and walked outside to see Ozzie and Verne sitting near the lounge area, and going over the plan for their next heist. RJ decided to walk over and join them.

"Hey guys." RJ said

"Hey, RJ." Verne said

"Hey, son." Ozzie said not really thinking about. RJ smiled as he heard those words come out fo Ozzie's mouth.

"Son! I could get used to that." RJ said smiling. Ozzie laughed a little as RJ sat down next to him, and they went over the raid plans together. It was a father/son moment that RJ longed for. He finally had the father he'd always hoped he'd have, a beautiful new mate, and his life back without the Verminator to worry about anymore. He could ask for nothing more.

**End of Story**

Well, guys. That completes it. I had no idea just how much fun it would be writing this story. I'm so used to writing for 'Bolt' that it seemed like such a different environment. If you guys wanna see a sequel to this story, feel free to let me know via PM or review. I wouldn't know what it would be about, so I'll need some ideas if you want it to happen. Thanks to everyone out there who's been reading! I love you all!

Peace out, playa!


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